acutely

American  

[uh-kyoot-lee] / əˈkjut li /

adverb

1. having a sharp, severe, or intense effect.

   Reductions in the workforce will be felt most acutely by those in entry-level jobs.

   Compounds formed by reaction with the contaminant create the potential for formation of acutely toxic products.

2. having an extremely great or serious effect; critically.

   The Iberian lynx is considered the most acutely endangered species of wildcat.

3. happening briefly or severely; happening at a single point in time (opposed tochronically ).

   The report describes a patient presenting acutely with mental symptoms of confusion and hallucinations.

   We studied the effects of field-realistic doses of the herbicide on honeybees exposed either chronically or acutely.

4. in a way that is intellectually penetrating or insightful; perceptively.

   In this acutely focused exhibition, the artist delves deeply into a single object: her kitchen sink.

5. in a way that is sensitive to even slight details or impressions.

   The orchestra matched the inspirational conductor beautifully, interacting and responding acutely.

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Other Word Forms

• hyperacutely
  adverb
• nonacutely
  adverb
• overacutely
  adverb
• superacutely
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of acutely

acute ( def. ) + -ly

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Explanation

Use the adverb acutely to mean sharply or intensely. If your teacher reads your poem in front of the entire class, you may feel proud — or you might be acutely embarrassed. In medicine, acutely is used to emphasize the seriousness of a condition or injury: "She is acutely allergic to antibiotics, so be sure to write that on her chart." Otherwise, you can use this adverb for anything that's especially vivid, like when you're acutely aware that everyone in the room is staring at your purple hat, or intensely unpleasant, like your little brother's acutely annoying whine. The Latin root, acutus, means "sharp or pointed."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

acutely

Alaskans feel it more acutely than other Americans, he said, because the state's distance means "everything is shipped in, and everything is dependent on fuel costs."

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

A similar "early warning" system to identify acutely ill adults, including those with sepsis, is already in use in emergency and general NHS hospital wards.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

Long Beach was most acutely affected and has been a main area of concern for the last several weeks, Black said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

Across differences in politics and identity, South Asians I spoke with around Columbus also shared the same affordability concerns acutely felt by Americans everywhere.

From Slate ● Oct. 23, 2026

There was a silence, during which I felt acutely the hopelessness of ever trying to get to the bottom of anything with Henry.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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Related Words

• keenly
• severely

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